Considering AP...

[D0naldDuck!]

Ive been researching AP for a few weeks and have a few questions that I haven't found an answer to. So I thought I'd ask the experts and hear your opinions/guidance on what to do.

With AP, you get room discounts. Do you know if the discounts apply to only certain resorts? I may have three trips planned within the year:
--All Star Movies 12/17: 3d,2n
--POFQ 02/18: 7d,6n
--CBR 9/18: 5n;6d OR 3d,2n at Poly. Would AP room discounts apply to these resorts? And does AP provide a better discount then a room only discount? (If you've noticed in the past is what I'm looking for. I've never taken notice to it because I wasn't looking for it).

My second question is- regarding tickets. If all three trips happen, I'll be spending money on tickets for 10 to 14 days with parkhopper. Would it be better to buy tickets each time or us the AP? Now I already have a set of tickets purchased for next year. Can I call in and have them bumped up to AP if I do go with the AP?

Here is my concern- The 02/18 trip is booked. The other two are tentative right now. I don't want to pay for AP and be out $300 some dollars. If only the 02/18 trip happens, would be possible to break even and get back my $300? (Not by asking for a refund or anything like that but in terms of discounts on dining or something.)

So I don't know what to do.
Help please? Thanks!

 

[caliope]

I can't answer all your questions but I can offer my experience so far.

We got APs in March. We upgraded what had been 3-day tickets. Since then, we've booked 2 more trips and we are planning 1 more before the APs expire next March. One booked trip is using the AP room only discount in August at both CR and Poly CL. The general public discount for our dates was not nearly as good as what I got with the AP discount. We were flexible in dates, so perhaps that helped too. I did not look at any other resorts because we wanted to be on the monorail but I do believe most were included (some with limited availability). We have a second trip booked in November but AP discounts are not yet out for that time of year. I got a UOC that I used instead. Once late fall AP discounts are posted (if at all), I'll compare to see if there's a better deal.

Regarding tickets - I don't think it is cheaper to buy tickets for each trip if you do actually go on all 3. You can easily do the math though. And keep in mind, ticket prices may go up in the winter (seems like February is the typical time for that). I don't know if you can upgrade your existing tickets to AP over the phone - we did our upgrade at Guest Services, but hopefully someone else can answer that.

In addition to the possibility of discounts on rooms (never a guarantee), the AP includes Memory Maker (so, if you would've purchased that for 1 or more trips, factor savings in), food and merchandise discounts, and free parking (if you need that). You'll have to decide if those discounts equal the difference in what you'd pay for the AP if you only go on the one trip in February.

Happy planning!

 

[loves to dive]

I always recommend when considering an AP you go with the price of tickets plus memory maker only. Do no take into account any discounts, they are not guaranteed. If you plan on getting park hoppers and memory maker, take the cost of those and compare them to the AP. Normally the rule of thumb is if you are going to get 10 days worth of tickets, you are going to at least break even. I have had an AP for about 4 years, I've gotten a better room discount twice, that is in at least 9 trips, the other stays the general discount by itself or combined with an Orbitz discount came out better. I always do split stays moderate/deluxe and don't have more than 2 people on the reservation so don't need more than one bedroom. Last trip we were there for 7 days and ate TS every day, only twice did we get an AP discount, just turned out the places we ate that trip didn't offer it. We stay on site so parking is not an issue, it's included if you stay on site and if you are asking about room discounts, that would be your case as well. The merchandise discounts are pretty consistent but there is really no way to factor in how much you would spend on that. So do apples to apples, the cost of tickets plus memory maker if you plan on getting it. If you don't plan on getting it, don't include it in your numbers. We don't use it even though it's included so I don't take the cost into account when I'm deciding if I'm going to renew every year.

 

[Marionnette]

Ive been researching AP for a few weeks and have a few questions that I haven't found an answer to. So I thought I'd ask the experts and hear your opinions/guidance on what to do.

With AP, you get room discounts. Do you know if the discounts apply to only certain resorts? I may have three trips planned within the year:
--All Star Movies 12/17: 3d,2n
--POFQ 02/18: 7d,6n
--CBR 9/18: 5n;6d OR 3d,2n at Poly. Would AP room discounts apply to these resorts? And does AP provide a better discount then a room only discount? (If you've noticed in the past is what I'm looking for. I've never taken notice to it because I wasn't looking for it).

It will depend on what Disney feels that they need to do to fill rooms at those resorts for your dates. AP and FL resident room rates are the very last to be announced and only after it has been determined that other offers to the general public did not do enough to put heads in beds.

My second question is- regarding tickets. If all three trips happen, I'll be spending money on tickets for 10 to 14 days with parkhopper. Would it be better to buy tickets each time or us the AP? Now I already have a set of tickets purchased for next year. Can I call in and have them bumped up to AP if I do go with the AP?

You can only upgrade tickets in person. You would have to do the math to decide whether an AP or separate tickets will be a better deal for you

Here is my concern- The 02/18 trip is booked. The other two are tentative right now. I don't want to pay for AP and be out $300 some dollars. If only the 02/18 trip happens, would be possible to break even and get back my $300? (Not by asking for a refund or anything like that but in terms of discounts on dining or something.)

So I don't know what to do.
Help please? Thanks!

You would have to have a pretty hefty discount on that room, eat a lot of TS meals and buy a considerable amount of merchandise in order to make up the additional $300 spent on an AP vs. a 7-day hopper. If the ASMo trip materializes, then you're closer to breaking even. Since it comes first, upgrading to an AP on that trip should bring you at or near the break-even point.

 

[D0naldDuck!]

Well friends.. it looks like my 12/17 trip unfortunately isn't happening. Unless I win the lottery that is. Anyway, I'd love to do the AP but looking at the numbers (and same with the dining plan) I can't justify it. I will be easier to buy tickets seperate for the two remaining trips. Thank you all for your help!!